Washington Update

FAFSA Updates 

APLU Joins Higher Education Community Submitting Recommended FAFSA Fixes to Congress  
On May 22, APLU joined the higher education community in sending legislative recommendations to key congressional leaders to improve the FAFSA. The policy proposals included are as follows:  

• Move ED’s deadline to publish the FAFSA from January 1 to October 1 
• Update aid eligibility for students attending less than a full academic year 
• Ensure that institutions won’t be penalized if they used ED’s original incorrect data to make aid awards 
• Add a question to the FAFSA form to evaluate student housing needs 
• Allow FAFSA data sharing to support low-income student completion and basic needs 
• Assess the impact of the 2020 FAFSA law on family farms and small businesses 

Relatedly, APLU endorsed standalone bipartisan legislation by Senators Tester (D-MT) and Ernst (R-IA) and Reps. Mann (R-KS) and Panetta (D-CA) to exclude family farm and small business assets from FAFSA need analysis. 

Secretary Cardona Announces Office of Federal Student Aid Reforms

On May 30, U.S. Department of Education (ED) Secretary Miguel Cardona announced a series of actions to reform the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA). The steps include searching for a new FSA Chief Operating Officer, as Rich Cordray will depart this summer. In the interim, longtime ED staffer Denise Carter has been named Principal Deputy Chief Operating Officer.  

ED hired Boston Consulting Group as an organizational consultant to review FSA’s organization, management, structure, and operations to help modernize the office. ED will also review contracts and procurement processes to improve timeliness. In addition, ED will create a new IT innovation team, strengthen senior leadership protocols, and improve outreach with the Office of Inspector General, members of Congress, institutions, and stakeholders. 

APLU understands the tremendous challenges the difficult FAFSA rollout has created for students, their families, and institutions. The association is in regular contact with ED and continues to push for an expedient resolution to challenges while underscoring concerns from member institutions. APLU members can follow the latest updates and resources on FAFSA at the Federal Student Aid website here.      

Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations Update  

The House begins its consideration of FY25 appropriations with subcommittee consideration of the Homeland Security; State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs; Defense; and Financial Services and General Government bills set for this week.  

The State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill includes $271 million for higher education programs within USAID, flat funding over FY24 and 5 percent below FY23 levels. The subcommittee mark and summary do not include a funding level for Feed the Future Innovation Labs, the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, or the Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) program. APLU expects additional numbers to be provided in the committee’s report, which has not yet been released. The bill advanced out of subcommittee Tuesday morning. 

The Defense bill provides $833 billion in funding, a one percent increase over FY24 and in line with spending limits set in the Fiscal Responsibility Act. The bill provides $145.9 billion towards Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, 1.6 percent below FY24 levels. The bill is scheduled for subcommittee consideration Wednesday morning.  

APLU updated its Appropriations Priorities Chart to reflect the latest FY25 House funding levels. 

House Agriculture Committee Holds Markup of the 2024 Farm Bill  

On May 23, 2024, the House Agriculture Committee held a markup of H.R. 8467, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, the Republican majority’s proposal for the 2024 reauthorization of the Farm Bill. The bill passed out of committee by a vote of 33-21 with four Democrats voting in favor. 

Ahead of the House markup, APLU President Mark Becker released a statement supporting the inclusion of the Research Facilities Act and mandatory investments in agriculture research facilities in both chambers’ Farm Bill packages.  

Representatives Jim Baird (R-IN) and Tracey Mann (R-KS) spoke of the importance of this bill in making the largest investment in research, extension, and education activities in modern Farm Bill history and the contribution it will make to improving global competitiveness. Representative Mann, who champions the Research Facilities Act along with Representative Kim Schrier (D-WA), highlighted the return on federal research investments and the role modernized facilities will have in recruiting the next generation of talent. 

House Armed Services Committee Holds Markup of FY25 National Defense Authorization Act 

On May 22nd, the House Armed Services Committee held a markup of its annual defense policy bill, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement Act and National Defense Authorization Act for FY25 (H.R. 8070). This bill is a comprehensive annual authorization of Department of Defense programs and activities. The markup passed out of Committee by a vote of 57-1 with four amendments of concern on research security passing.  

Amendments for floor consideration were due May 31. The bill is expected to advance to the House floor the week of June 10th. Notable among the submitted amendments are the DETERRENT Act and the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act as well as other amendments of concern which APLU staff are tracking. 

APLU Joins Double Pell Alliance Letter on FY25 Appropriations 

The Double Pell Alliance, of which APLU is a steering committee member, submitted a letter to House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee leaders, urging significant progress in FY25 towards increasing the maximum Pell Grant award to $13,000. The letter underscores that level funding diminishes student awards due to inflation. The letter further notes adequate investment in the Pell Grant program is essential to a competitive workforce and college affordability. 

APLU Council on Governmental Affairs Awards Chairman Frank Lucas Congressional Achievement Award 

APLU’s Council on Governmental Affairs awarded Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK), House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, the Congressional Achievement Award in recognition of his strong support of public and land-grant universities. Throughout his tenure, Chairman Lucas has utilized his leadership of the Committee to champion bipartisan legislation in support of university-based research, improved access to STEM education, sustained American leadership in research and development, and innovative energy-efficient technology. Chairman Lucas also previously led the House Agriculture Committee.